For her 80th birthday on Saturday, Sofia Loren did not choose the heavenly coasts of the Mediterranean to mark the milestone. Instead, the Italian icon accepted the invitation of Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim Helú to attend the inauguration of an art exhibit entitled "Sophia Loren Mexico: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow" at the Soumaya Museum, the world's richest man's private art museum.

At a news conference Thursday, the diva told reporters that Slim approached her with the idea of the exhibit two years ago and it finally came to fruition, according to Mexican and U.S. press reports. Slim and Loren met during the 2011 annual film festival in Acapulco and have since become close friends.

Loren said that she accepted the invitation, "because I love Mexico, and I thank Mexico for loving me."

Sitting next to Slim, who showed his affection for the screen legend by holding her wrist, a misty-eyed Loren said: "I'm very moved by this, it's a beautiful exhibit. This is not a celebration of the past but the prologue of a beautiful life that has given me a lot.”

(Photo Credit: Telmex)

Sporting a bright red pantsuit and tinted glasses, Loren was described as emotional at times in recalling her life. “I've had a very difficult life but it has been a fruitful life,” said Loren, who married film director Carlo Ponti in 1957 and was by his side until his death at aged 94 in 2007. They had two sons, Carlo and Edoardo.

In his introduction, Slim said that the exhibit is made of pieces that Loren had collected through decades of film career, including an Academy Award for best actress for her performance in Vittorio De Sica's Two Women in 1962. Loren was the first artist to win an Oscar for a foreign-language performance. "In this collection that she carefully put together, there are dresses she wore in her films, international awards, including the Golden Globe, some posters and magazines," said Slim.

According to Mexican and U.S. publications, the temporary exhibit, which opens to the public Monday, occupies an entire floor of the Soumaya Museum. The show includes Loren's wardrobe collection, jewelry, high-heel shoes, photographs, awards, books, movie posters, video clips and what Loren called her most valuable possession: the Oscar statuette she won for Two Women. “One feels out of this world, it's like falling in love,” Loren said as she recalled receiving the Academy Award, according to AFP.

(Photo credit: Telmex)

Visitors to the museum will get a glimpse of her beauty and talent, her personal and professional life, including original screenplays and clips of famous romantic movie scenes with legendary iconic actors including Marcello Mastroianni, Cary Grant and Marlon Brando.

On Saturday, her 80th birthday, Slim rolled out the red carpet during a black-tie gala in her honor also held at the Soumaya Museum, which houses Slim’s personal art collection from the 15th through the 20th century.

Loren arrived flanked by Slim and her two sons. Among the celebrities reported to have attended were signer Laura Pausini, musician Miguel Bose, American actors Andy García, Jon Voight and Forest Whitaker, and former CNN TV anchor Larry King. Pausini sang Happy Birthday in Italian.

Parallel events included a retrospective of her films at Mexico City's Cineteca Nacional and a Sunday concert conducted by her son Carlo Ponti. Also on Sunday, the Mayor of Mexico City named her distinguished visitor and bestowed upon her the "The City's Wings" award.